As the school year continues to pick up and the football season winds down to a finale, the Rugby team makes preparations for the start of its season in February.
Many Jesuit Rugby players, faculty members, and friends alike took part in the 11th annual “Score a TRY For Humanity” blanket drive and tournament on Oct. 22 at Postell Stadium. For those unfamiliar with the sport of rugby, a try in rugby is essentially the equivalent of a touchdown in football, thus this tournament not only involves scoring tries on the field, but also benefitting the community.
Coach Anthony Mattacchione, head rugby coach and founder of the event, noted that “we usually run the event on the Tuesday evening during Homecoming” because it efficiently promotes “school spirit and service to others while allowing us to deliver the items during senior service on Wednesday.” The proceeds of this event, particularly blankets, went towards The Dallas Bridge Foundation. The Bridge helps to provide warmth and shelter to those without the necessities of life. The Bridge assists nearly 1,200 people in need each day, and the Jesuit rugby team and community extended a helping hand to those in need.
According to Coach Mattacchione, “there is always a need,” and Jesuit’s generous support directly impacted the lives of many of those in need. With the help of the players, Jesuit staff, and community, the Rugby team collected a record 135 blankets during the event for the Bridge Foundation. This astoundingly generous number helped to bump the cumulative count of blankets to over 1,000 in the event’s history.
The participants of the event passionately battled through the bracket, and things got a bit animated. According to Cole Wilson ‘15, “The matches got very intense, especially the championship,” furthering that “each of [his] matches got more and more intense as the day went on.” As the tournament heated up, the community put on a similar display of passion for helping those in need, continuing to bring blankets to donate to the cause.
As the suspense continued to rise, Rugby team captain Manny Salazar led his Flyin’ Hawaiians to face off with the Lock-Smith Monsters in the thrilling finale. With the help of juniors Cole Wilson, Edward Talatala, Jack Kelley, and company, the Flyin’ Hawaiians were catapulted to a 2-1 victory and their 2nd consecutive tournament victory, as the other teams watched from the sidelines.
The Rugby team, particularly pleased with the turnout, welcomed over 70 players, including many students who aren’t part of the team who came out to support the event, and another 20-30 spectators in the stands who were watching and cheering on the teams for a worthy cause. In retrospect, Jimmy Ackels ’15 mentioned that “although the tournament was a great time, helping those in need was the real victory,” reflecting the Rugby team’s mixture of passion for both the sport and the community. Likewise, Coach Mattacchione reflects on the appreciation of those assisted by the proceeds of the event, claiming that “you definitely see the appreciation from those we serve who are so grateful about receiving such a gift before the cold weather sets in.”
